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In-Situ Observation of Surface Modification Induced by Highly Charged Ion Bombardment

Published

Author(s)

Ronaldo Minniti, John D. Gillaspy, L P. Ratliff

Abstract

Nanoscale dots created on the surface of a HOPG sample by bombardment with individual highly charged xenon projectile ions were observed using an in-situ scanning tunneling microscope (STM). This is the first time that such features have been created and imaged without exposure to air. The dots vary in size with the charge state of the ion, up to a diameter of 6.6 nm for Xe44+, and are interpreted as resulting from the conversion of the potential energy of the incoming projectile to surface modification.
Citation
Physica Scripta
Volume
T92

Keywords

collisions, graphite, ions, scanning tunneling microscope, sputtering, surface

Citation

Minniti, R. , Gillaspy, J. and Ratliff, L. (2001), In-Situ Observation of Surface Modification Induced by Highly Charged Ion Bombardment, Physica Scripta (Accessed October 21, 2025)

Issues

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Created January 1, 2001, Updated February 17, 2017
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